Strasberg: Three people were killed in the terrorist attack on the Christmas Market in the city of Strasbourg in France on Tuesday. Although the security forces engaged the terrorist in an encounter, he succeeded in escaping, and a massive special operation to arrest him has been undertaken. Cherif Chekatt is the name of the terrorist, and there are 27 crimes already registered against him.

This terrorist attack on Tuesday has once again rocked France, who is suffering the Yellow Vest agitation since the last one and a half month. There is a huge Christmas Market in the Cleber area of the Strasbourg city, and there is a lot of rush for shopping in the market, given the upcoming Christmas festival. Taking advantage of this crowd 29-year-old Cherif started firing indiscriminately at around 7.45 pm. Three people were killed on the spot, and 12 were injured in the firing. The local officials informed that some of the wounded are in a critical condition.

There are 27 crimes registered in France and other European countries against Cherif, aged 29. Cherif, who has adopted an extremist ideology since the last few years, also features in the suspected terrorists’ list of the French government. Grenades were confiscated from his house in a raid conducted by the French agencies a few days ago. Against this background, the attack carried out by him, and his escape from the hands of the security agencies has created a sensation. There is criticism that this once again exposes the inefficiency of the French security agencies.

A terror attack at a time when the Yellow Vest agitation is still going on has raised suspicions. Certain sections of the media and social media are discussing an angle of a Government conspiracy. The anti-government unrest has brought President Macron to his knees, and he announced his retreat on Monday along with certain concessions. But the protestors have decided to ignore the sops and continue with the agitation.

In view of this, the French government is now stressing upon security issues forwarding the reason for the terrorist attack. Movements to clear the roads and the other areas of agitators, and to increase the security have been initiated. As per some of the posts on the social media, a section of the agitators is also saying that efforts to suppress the agitation could be made under the pretext of anti-terrorist activities.

Tehran: The chief of the Iranian legal systems, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, claimed that the protests in France are but only ‘Islamic Awakening’. Larijani reminded that Ayatollah Khomeini, the father of the Islamic revolution in Iran, had predicted long ago about the Islamic Awakening in Europe. However, Larijani did not elaborate on the connection of these agitations with Muslims. But still, it seems that the Iranian Foreign Minister is taking a keen interest in the agitations in France.

Ayatollah Khomeini had brought about an Islamic revolution in Iran in the seventies. This changed the political system in Iran, and Ayatollah Khomeini held the post of the all powerful supreme religious preacher in Iran for a long time thereafter. Ayatollah Khomeini had claimed that this change would reflect in other countries too and Islamic Awakening will be seen even in European countries. Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, chief of the legal system in Iran, has reminded of this prediction pointing to the agitations in France.

Larijani did not elaborate on the way these agitations against the policies of French President Macron could be linked to Islamic Awakening. But the Iranian foreign ministry has appealed to the French government to deal patiently while taking action against the agitators. Former Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad said that the responsibility of granting the legitimate demands of the citizens lies with the French government. Ahmadinejad also warned that no government could stand against its own people.

The sensitivity exhibited by the Iranian leaders towards the agitations in France indicates differently. The mystery has deepened because of Larijani’s statement linking the agitations in France to Islamic Awakening.